The sick, O Lord, around thee lay,
O, in what divers pains they met!
O, with what joy they went away
Once more 'tis eventide, and we
Oppressed with various ills draw near:
What if thy form we cannot see?
We know and feel that thou art here.
2 O Saviour Christ, our woes dispel ;
For some are sick, and some are sad,
And some have never loved thee well,
And some have lost the love they had;
And some are pressed with worldly care;
And some are tried with sinful doubt;
And some such grievous passions tear
That only thou canst cast them out.
3 And some have found the world is vain,
Yet from the world they break not free;
And some have friends who give them pain,
Yet have not sought a friend in thee.
And none, O Lord, have perfect rest,
For none are wholly free from sin;
And they who fain would serve thee best
Are conscious most of wrong within.
4 O Saviour Christ, thou too art man;
Thou hast been troubled, tempted, tried;
Thy kind but searching glance can scan
The very wounds that shame would hide.
Thy touch has still its ancient power;
No word from thee can fruitless fall:
Hear in this solemn evening hour,
And in thy mercy heal us all.
A SONG IN THE NIGHT.
Tr. C. Winkworth.
II,II; 11,5.
F. Flemming.
OW God be with us, for the night is closing.
Darkness and light are both of his disposing.
Beneath his shadow, here to rest we yield us,
For he will shield us.
2 Let evil thoughts and spirits flee before us;
Till morning cometh, watch, O Master, o'er us;
In soul and body thou from harm defend us;
Thine angels send us.
3 We have no refuge; none on earth to aid us,
Save thee, O Father, who thine own hast made us:
But thy dear presence will not leave them lonely
Who seek thee only.
4 Father, thy name be praised, thy kingdom givén,
Thy will be done on earth, as 'tis in Heaven;
Keep us in life, forgive our sins, deliver
'HE day is past and over;
All thanks, O Lord, to thee!
We pray thee now, that sinless
The hours of dark may be:
O Jesus, keep us in thy sight,
And save us thro' the coming night.
2 The toils of day are over;
We raise our hymn to thee,
And ask, that free from peril,
The hours of dark may be:
O Jesus, keep us in thy sight,
And guard us thro' the coming night.
3 Be thou our souls' preserver,
O God, for thou dost know
How many are the perils
Through which we have to go;
O loving Jesus, hear our call,
And guard and save us from them all.
UN of my soul! thou Saviour dear,
It is not night if thou art near:
O may no earth-born cloud arise
To hide thee from thy servant's eyes!
2 When soft the dews of kindly sleep
My wearied eyelids gently steep,
Be my last thought,-how sweet to rest
Forever on my Saviour's breast!
3 Abide with me from morn till eve,
For without thee I cannot live;
Abide with me when night is nigh,
For without thee I dare not die.
4 If some poor wandering child of thine
Have spurned to-day the voice divine,
Now, Lord, the gracious work begin;
Let him no more lie down in sin.
5 Watch by the sick; enrich the poor
With blessings from thy boundless store;
Be every mourner's sleep to-night,
Like infant slumbers, pure and light.
6 Come near and bless us when we wake,
Ere through the world our way we take,
Till in the ocean of thy love
We lose ourselves in heaven above.
FOR EVENING WORSHIP.
A. M. Toplady.
NSPIRER and hearer of prayer,
Thou Shepherd and Guardian of thine, My all to thy covenant care
I sleeping or waking resign:
If thou art my shield and my sun,
The night is no darkness to me;
And, fast as my moments roll on,
They bring me but nearer to thee.
2 Thy ministering spirits descend
To watch while thy saints are asleep;
By day and by night they attend,
The heirs of salvation to keep:
Bright seraphs, despatched from the throne,
Repair to their stations assigned;
And angels elect are sent down,
To guard the elect of mankind.
3 Their worship no interval knows ;
Their fervor is still on the wing;
And while they protect my repose,
They chant to the praise of my King:
|